Marcel Sydney snares Wesley Hawes from TBWA Sydney for deputy executive creative director role

CB Exclusive – Wesley Hawes (right), the former joint-executive creative director of TBWA\Sydney, has departed the agency to join the management team at Marcel Sydney. Hawes will take up a deputy ECD role working alongside ECD Scott Huebscher (left) and Marcel creative chairman, David Nobay.

The former Lynx/Axe global creative director spent eight years at BBH London before joining TBWA/Sydney in 2014. In the two years under his leadership the agency won over 20 pitches, several Agency of the Year nominations, and numerous awards at Cannes, Spikes Asia and ADMA AC&E. At BBH London, Hawes and long-term creative partner Gary McCreadie were responsible for the Axe Apollo Space Academy campaign that picked up multiple lions at Cannes.

Marcel Sydney has been on a roll since its formation in 2016 with market-defining work for OPSM, Unicef and Tiger Beer.

Says Hawes: “I’ve enjoyed great success at Whybin’s, both creatively and from a new business perspective, but part of me wanted to get back into the engine room.

“What I like about Marcel is the structure feels super collaborative and immediate. Scott and Nobay still write and Iona and Gav write briefs. I missed this direct involvement in the work and the crafting process. I don’t think any other agency in Sydney offers clients such direct access and consistent involvement from their senior talent.”

Says Huebscher: “I know what people are going to say… ‘Does Marcel really need more senior people?’ And to that I would say ‘No, we don’t.’ But we didn’t go looking for senior people. We went looking for the smartest, nicest people out there. And we found that in Wes.”

Hawes will be working with the management team across all clients and new business opportunities.